The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-07-23
MYSTERIES OF THE SEA,
The Story of the Ancient Mariner
Outdone.
Experiences of a Sailor Between San Fran
cisco and tho Sandwich Islands-A
Schooner Under Full Sail With
out Soul Board

deep and are added to each month. A
ships boat. from which the name had
been carefully obitcratcd, and which
holds the cmaciated bodies of two men
who have starved to death, is picked
up in the Pacific to-day; tomorrow a
Cunardcr crossing the Atlantic reports
seeing sailing ship bottom up; next
day dcrelict schooner sails
herself into some port in the Caribbean
Sea, and nothing can be learned of the
crew who manned her. And it may be
that on the next some great steamer
leaves port on her voyage to Europe
and is never to be heard of more. As
an old sailor, l have had the luck to
encounter some of these strange things
and will relate the incidents without
exaggeration.
In the year 1861 was mate of a brig
called the Henry and William, sailing
between San Francisco and the Sand
witch Islands. She was small, snug
vessel, fast sailer, and the Captain
was William Lansing He and his
brother Henry were the owners, and
the brig was named after them. Just
at daylight one June morning, in the
year have mentioned, while we were
three hundred miles from the islands,
schooner was sighted dead ahead. We
had fair breeze over the starboard
quarter, and the schooner had all sail
set, and was making good progress
Sails were not an unusual sight on that
route, and we gave the stranger little
attention until we found that we were
overhauling her. She was exactly on
the true course to the islands, and we
were therefore in her wake. She was
hull down when we first discovered her,
but by the time we had washed down
and breakfast had been served she was
not over two miles ahead. There were
some smart schooners flying in that
trade, and the fact of our outsailing
this one so handsomely put us all in
good spirits. We were humming along
after her at nine or ten knots an hour,
when she suddenly came up into the
wind in the most lubberly fashion,
shivered there for moment, and then
preached to and was driven off before
the wind sideways. 1t was lucky for
her that the breeze was no stronger,
for the schooner was light and the
movement would have brought dis
aster.
As soon as / saw the schooner in
trouble l seized the glass and ran half
way up the foreshrouds, and it wasn't
minute before l made the discovery
that her decks were entirely clear of
men. At this hour of the morning
both watches should have been on
deck, but not sailor was visible. This
was an unheard-of occurrence, but, as
she had no signal of distress flying,
and stood too high in the water to have
been abandoned for leaking vessel,
could hardly credit my vision. Hooked
again and again, examining every foot
of her decks, but it was plain fact
that not a living person was in sight. |
reported the matter to the captain, and
by that time we were so close aboard
that all our crew could note the condi-
ton of things with the naked eye. Our
ships bell was rung, and the men
shouted in chorus, but nothing came Of
it. 1t was then determined to board
her, and, as the brig was laid to, Invent
off with three men in the yawl and
was soon at the strangers side. was
burning with curiosity at the start. but
the nearer we approached the stranger
the more curiosity gave way to awe ant
fear. There had been some terrible
work aboard of her, or she would MOI
be in that condition. Had malignant
fever taken off the last of the crew Of
was it mutiny and its CHASTITY conse
cuences? waited long minute aftel
hooking on to her forechains to lister
for some sound aboard, but the still
ness of death reigned from bowsprit t.
companion-way. l nodded to one o
the men to come along, and next mo
ment was over her bows.
l had expected to meet with SOM
shocking sight, but was disappointed
The decks were free and passably clea
of rattle. Some of the coils had fallel
off their Delaying pins. and l could Sc
at a glance that the decks had not bee
washed for several days, but aside fror
this could detect nothing out OF tn
way The scuttle was drawn over tn
forecastle entrance and bolted. M
first action was TO open this. and tn
rush of air told me that the forecast
had not been ventilated for sewers
days. Selling a capstan bar whic
leaned against the anchor windlass,
pounded smartly on the deck and Gale
out to know il anybody was below. br
no answer came The man with IN,
who was al old salt, grew so nervot
that he would have returned to the bot
but for my positive commands to Il
contrary. As soon as satisfied tn;
the forecastlc was clear Of men l fe
that the schooner was deserted and "
at once lowered away the sails. Tn
checked her drift. and the brig turns
ON her heel. aud came down Glove to
sGsia.